Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Broken Ponies, the sequel to Nemesister, and the second book in the Crooked Little Sister series. I’m delighted to be sharing my review with you today.

Following the gripping – and deadly – events of their night under siege in Nemesister, the sequel, Broken Ponies, provides more details of Red’s mysterious past as well as Rita’s childhood, and brings light to the events that will eventually bring them together.

But meanwhile Red’s hunters have not given up the chase and Rita becomes bait in a trap set for Red in a terrifying storm damaged fairground….

The second in the Crooked Little Sisters series, Broken Ponies will thrill fans of dark gothic thrillers and readers of John Connolly and Joe Hill.

I’m always the advocate for reading series in order, because I believe it will maximise your enjoyment going into the next book if you know what came before. This book, as any, can be read as a standalone but so many of the references to things that occurred in the previous novel will be lost on you. It may come as a surprise as to why Rita, our main protagonist, has another personality known as ‘Margarita’, and how this acts as her coping and survival mechanism. This dual personality aspect is easier to understand and accept, and more enjoyable, if you’ve read book one.

If you caught my review of book one, Nemesister, you’ll know I had some misgivings with the first half of the book, but loved the second half; well, I loved Broken Ponies all the way through. I especially enjoyed the relationship between Rita and Red, it’s unconventional, but it works. It reminds me a lot of the relationship between Lori and JT in the Lori Anderson series by Steph Broadribb, in that Rita is strong-minded, a lil’ badass but very likeable, and Red is more laid back with that mysterious aura to his character. The reason the reader is able to warm so much to these characters is because, as the blurb states, this instalment really does give you a chance to get to know the earlier history of both characters, and how it has shaped them, in turn, making you more invested in what happens to them.

There were some great ‘one-liners’ in this novel, one of which made it into my favourite quotes list, because I love that it’s so simple, yet conveys so much truth.

‘‘Anger’s like the sun, darlin’. Burns like hell if you stay in it for too long.”

What was great about this book was it continued some elements from book one, the isolated setting, the limited characters, without repeating the storyline. This thriller doesn’t have the fastest pace but the isolated setting really does help you to immerse yourself in the story. This novel kept all that was good in Nemesister, and added new elements of surprise. Also, there was some well-placed humour, which is always appreciated. I do love continuity in a series, and these books aren’t too long either, so they’re perfect for an easy, one-sitting read. And based on this ending of this one, I’m excited for the next book, the future of Rita and Red!